It was with much sorrow and a broken heart I read a news item in The Dallas Morning News from India.
(A devout Hindu believes that if their ashes are immersed in a sacred river that it will ensure eternal peace for the soul: "ATMAN;" that he will achieve "MOKSHA;" release from the cycle of Birth and Rebirth. Then their "ATMAN:" one's true self or soul, now being purified will be absorbed in BRAHMA, merging back into god and achieving the position of a god themselves.)
When Gandhi died in 1948 his ashes were place in several urns and sent to each State of INDIA to be scattered in sacred rivers. But one urn was kept and stored in a bank vault in the city of Cuttack. The plan was that these remaining ashes would, 49 years later, be released into the junction of the Ganges and the Yamuna rivers at the city of Allahabad as a "back-up" to ensure the eternal peace of his "ATMAN" soul.
While thousands stood in waist-deep water near the river bank a Brahmadin Priest with sandalwood paste and vermilion seared on his forehead held burning incense sticks and led Tusmar Gandhi (Gandhi's Great-Grandson) through the prayers and ritual.
In the 20 minute ritual Tusmar Gandhi put holy water, milk, sweetmeats, fruits and flowers into the urn with Gandhi's ashes. While the people chanted "may Mahatma Gandhi remain immortal," Tusmar tipped the urn releasing Gandhi's remaining ashes into the sacred river Ganges.
It is not; as many millions upon millions of Indian Hindus believe, by the sprinkling of ones ashes into the sacred Ganges river that gives or ensures eternal life but only repentance of sin and faith in Christ's shed blood that gives us eternal life. --From a prayer letter by Missionary Bob Branca.